Peer Support

In 2001 started the centre for intermediate vocational education named "Da Vinci College"
(Dordrecht, the Netherlands) a learning factory for students ICT level 2.
The students refurbeshed and sold second hand PC's.
They got support from students from level 3 and level 4 and students from schools
for higher vocational education. These students were trained to become peer tutors. 

To get more information about the system of peer support at school, the project
manager looked for good practices all over the world.
He got information from the Woodside High School about their Freshman
Transition Program. Incoming freshman were welcomed to the campus
by so called 'peer leaders'. Well trained senior students, who helped the freshmen
with their support and attention to develop the intellectual and emotional skills
necessary to combat pressures they will encounter.

The positive experience from the learning factory inspired the project manager
to develop a total peer support program for all students at different schools
on the campus named 'Leerpark' in Dordrecht. In 2003 and 2005 the government
of the province of South Holland supported this project with a lump sum.

One student role after an other was developed to answer the needs of the schools.
Some students were peer tutors, others peer mentors, others peer coaches or
peer leaders, depending on their personality and capacities.
Later on, more schools and schooltypes in the Netherlands asked for peer support.

In 2008 the Da Vinci College in Dordrecht initiated a foundation for
knowledge about peer support at school.
Peer support at school is a part of peer assisted learning (PAL).